Musical-instrument self-playing device.



R. A. GALLY. MUSICAL INSTRUMENT SELF PLAYING DEVICE. APPLIOATIOR FILEDD110. 26, 1912.

1,106,296, Patented Aug. 4, 1914;

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

|IIE NORRIS PET'ERS CO. PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON. D. C

R. A. GALLY.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT SELF PLAYING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 26, 1912.

1,106,296, Patented Aug. 4,1914.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT A. GALLY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOB TO THE BALDWIN COMPANY,OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

MUSICAL-INSTRUMENT SELF-PLAYING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 4, 1914.

Application filed December 26, 1912. Serial No. 738,574.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT A. GALLY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton, State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Musical-Instrument Self-Playing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

Previous attempts in constructing player actions placed under the keybedor table of a musical instrument of a piano or organ form, or the like,have been ineificient in power, cumbersome, or lacking in accessibilityfor regulating. The present invention shows a powerful, compactarrangement, every part of which is readily seen and reached withoutdisturbing any other part, and whose operations are simple and direct.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an end view partly sectional, of theapparatus embodie in a piano of the so-called grand type, only thekeybed and keys of the piano being shown, being suflicient to illustratethe position and operative connections of the player action to themusical parts, and Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are diagram end views of modifiedarrangements of strikers and connections.

The player action consists of several rows of striker pneumatics 1arranged lengthwise of the keybed or table 2, and closely underneath it.These striker pneumatics 1 are held in substantially vertical positionon supports or chests 3, preferably with their hinged ends 4 uppermostand the working ends and fingers 5 of their moving boards 6, below. Thusa pendulent position is attained avoiding undue resistance due togravity of most horizontally placed strikers, and securing full accessto the fingers 5 and the connecting wires 7.

While the striker neumatics 1 may be inverted, and be su ject to thebroader claims hereof, such arrangement places the wires out of easyreach, as in diagrams, Figs. 2 and 3, and in F' s. 2- and 4 placing thestrikers more to the ront, and in Fig. 3 compelling crossing ofconnecting wires 7 and stickers 8.

The strikers 1 are shown in Fig. 1 as having their moving boards 6 totheir rear, the fingers 5 and connecting wires or means 7 thus exertinga pullin action when operating, enabling use of lig ter wires than ifthe moving boards 6 were to the front of the strikers 1, and exerting'apushing action on connecting wires 7 as in Figs. 3 and 4.

The connecting wires 7 are each engaged to the vertical arms 8 on anaction square or bell crank 9, while the horizontal arm 10 of each suchcrank 9 engages with a vertical rod, wire or sticker 11, which at itsupper end or head 12 is positioned to engage and lift the key 13 orother suitable part adapted to actuate the action of the musicalinstrument. Each sticker 11 has a re lator or nut 14 near its lower endabove horizontal arm 10 of crank 9, by which the relation of head 12 toarm 10 is regulated. Under arm 10 is a leveler 15 which can be set u ordown to bring head 12 into exact ad ustment with the key or equivalentpart 13.

Each connecting wire 7 has a regulator or nut 16 near its rear end justforward of vertical arm 8 of crank 9 which determines the amount ofthrow of crank 9 and rise of sticker 11, head 12 and ke 13 orequivalent, the extent of throw 0 striker 1 being checked by a felt orother check as 17 which stops the motion of the moving board 6. \Vhilethis check may be a simple stop of felt, it is an improvement to arrangesaid check 17 to close the port 18 of the striker 1 as its moving board6 reaches the end of its stroke.

The regulators 14 and 16 are readily accessible at the rear of theplayer action without disturbance of any other parts.

The controlling valves 19 and their pneumatics 20 are preferably placedbetween the rows of strikers 1, with the valves opening at the bottom,when full sight and access is to be had at any time. As a doublepneumatic action is sometimes preferred, the primary action thereof isplaced just forward of the front row of strikers 1, preferably inseveral horizontal rows of chests as 21, 22, 23, laid parallel to theseveral rows of strikers l. The valves 24 of these primary chests 21,22, 23, are connected by tubes 25 leading over the tops of the strikers1 to the connecting tubes 26 going to pneumatics 20 of the controllinvalves 19 of the strikers 1. Tubes 27 lead from the primary pouches orpneumatics 28 to the tracker bar 29, which is preferably placedsomewhere above the keybed 2 and keys 13.

Chests 3 of the striker pneumatics 1 have their ends butted against anend-trunk or Wind box 30, and the primary chests 21, 22, 28 have theirrear edges at the same end held on the front of end-trunk 30. Thus, theprimary action is cessible near the front of the instrument, and evenremovable independently of the strikers 1 and their chests Theplaycr'acticn and arrangement set forth and claimed herein covers thefeatures of this invention whether applied to a mu sical instrumenthaving keys, or one Without keys wherein the player operates the musicalaction from below the table as set forth.

Many modifications are possible and yet be subject to,-

l fhat I claim as my invention:

1. A musical instrument having a keybed, and vertical striker pneumaticsin a series of parallel rows longitudinal of and in one horizontal planeunder said keybed.

2. r -1nusical instrument having a keybed, and vertical strikerpneumatics in a series of parallel rows longitudinal of and in onehorizontal plane under said keybed, said strikerpneumatics having ahinge to each, and ach said hinge being at the top of its strikerpneumatic.

3. A musical instrument having a keybed, and vertical striker'pneumaticsin a series of parallel rows longitudinal of and in one horizontal planeunder said keybed, and a connecting means extended horizon tally fronramoving part of each said striker to a common line of the other ends ofsaid means.

4. A musical instrument having a keybed, and vertical striker pneumaticsina series of parallel rows longitudinal of and in one horizontal planeunder said keybed, said striker pneumatics having a hinge to each, andeach said hinge being at the top of its striker pneumatic, and aconnecting means extended horizontally from a moving part of each saidstriker to a common line of the other ends of said means, saidconnecting means lying in a horizontal plane beneath said rows ofstriker pneumatics.

5. A musical instrument having a keybed, and vertical striker pneumaticsin a series of parallel IOWS longitudinal of and in one horizontal planeunder said keybed, a tone-producing musical action above said table,vertical stickers extended "downwardly from said musical action throughsaid table on a line parallel to the rows of striker pneumatics, saidrows of strikor pneumatics being all forward of said line of saidvertical stickers, and actuating means from said strikers to saidstickers.

6. A musical instrument having a keybed, and vertical striker pneumaticsin a series of parallel rows longitudinal of and readily visible andacin one horizontal plane under said keybed, said striker pneumaticshaving a hinge to each, and each said hinge being at the top of itsstriker pneumatic, a tone-producing musical action above said keybed,vertical stickers extended downwardly from said musical action throughsaidvkeybed on a line parallel to the rows of striker pneumatics, saidrows of striker pneuinatics being all forward of said line of saidvertical stickers,

and actuating means from said strikers to said stickers.

7. A musical instrument havinga keybed,uand vertical striker pneumaticsin a series of parallel rows longitudinal of and in one horizontal planeunder said keybed, and a connecting means extended horizontally from amoving part of each said striker to a common line of the other ends ofsaid means; a tone-producing musical ac tion above said keybed, verticalstickers tended downwardly from said musical action through said keybedon a line parallel to the rows of striker pne v matics, said rows ofstriker pn'eumatics being all forward of said line of said verticalstickers, and actuating means from said connecting means to saidstickers.

8. A musical instrument having a keybed, and vertical striker pneumaticsin a series of parallel rows longitudinal of and in one horizontal planeunder said keybed, said striker pneumatics having a hinge to each, andeach said hinge being at the top of its striker pneumatic, and aconnecting means extended horizontally from a moving part of each saidstriker to a common line of the other ends of said means, said connecting means lying in a horizontal plane beneath said rows of strikerpneumatics; a toneproducing musical action above said keybed, verticalstickers extended downwardly from said musical action through saidkeybed on a line parallel to the rows of striker pneumatics, said TOWSof striker pneumatios being all forward of said line of saidverticalstickers, and actuating means from said connecting means to saidstickers.

9. Amusical instrument having a keybed, and vertical striker pneumaticsin a series of parallel. rows longitudinal of and in one horizontalplane under said keybed, a connectingmeansextended horizontally from amoving part of each said striker and a crank at the other endof saidmeans, a musical action above said keybed, and a vertical Wire or rodfrom said crank to said musical action.

10. A musical instrument having a keybed, and vertical strikerpneumatics in a se ries of parallel rows longitudinal of and in onehorizontal plane under said keybed, said striker pneumaticshaving ahinge to at the top and a connecting each, and each said hinge being ofits striker pneumatic,

means extended horizontally from a moving part and each said striker toa crank at the other end of said means, a musical action above saidkeybed, and a vertical wire or rod from said crank to said musicalaction.

11. A musical instrument having a keybed, and vertical strikerpneumatics in a series of parallel rows longitudinal of and in onehorizontal plane under said keybed, and a connecting means extendedhorizontally from a moving part of each said striker and a crank at theother end of said means, a tone-producing musical action above saidkeybed, and a vertical wire or rod from said crank to said musicalaction, said crank comprising a fulcrum at its upper part away from saidstrikers, a horizontal arm extending from said fulcrum toward saidstrikers and said vertical wire or rod, and a vertical arm extendingfrom said fulcrum down to said horizontal connecting wire.

12. A musical instrument having a keybed, and vertical strikerpneumatics in a series of parallel rows longitudinal of and in onehorizontal plane under said keybed, said striker pneumatics having ahinge to each, and each said hinge being at the top of its strikerpneumatic, and a connecting means extended horizontally from a movingpart of each said striker and a crank at the other end of said means, amusical action above said keybed, and a vertical wire or rod from saidcrank to said musical action, said crank comprising a fulcrum at itsupper part away from said strikers, a horizontal arm extending from saidfulcrum toward said strikers and said vertical Wire or rod, and avertical arm extending from said fulcrum down to said horizontalconnecting means.

13. A musical instrument tone-producing action, a crank co-acting withsaid musical action and having a horizontal actuating arm or member anda vertical member to be operated, a striker pneumatic operativelyconnected to said vertical member of said crank, and a verticallymovable regulating means immediately below and bearing up against saidactuating member and supported on a fixed part of the apparatus.

14-. A musical instrument tone-producing action, a crank co-acting withsaid musical action and having a horizontal actuating arm or member anda vertical member tobe operated, a striker pneumatic operativelyconnected to said vertical member of said crank, and a verticallymovable regulating means immediatelv below and bearing up against saidactuating member and supported on a fixed part of the apparatus.

15. A musical instrument having a keybed, vertical striker pneumatics inseveral parallel rows in one horizontal plane beneath said keybed, witha chest attached to each row, each chest comprising controlling valvesto said striker pneumatics, said valves having outer ports at the bottomface of each said chest.

16. A musical instrument having a keybed, vertical striker-pneumatics inseveral parallel rows in one horizontal plane beneath said keybed, witha chest attached to each row, each chest comprising controlling valvesto said striker pneumatics, said valves positioned adjacent the bottomline or face of each said chest.

17. A musical instrument having a keybcd, vertical striker pneumatics inseveral parallel rows in one horizontal plane beneath said keybed, witha chest attached to each row, each chest comprising controlling valvesand actuating pneumatics thereto, said actuating pneumatics havingconnecting tubes thereto connected to the top part of each chest andcontinued over said chests and pneumatics and under said keybed andbetween said keybed and said pneumatics and chests.

18. A musical instrument having a keybed, striker pneumatics in severalparallel rows in one horizontal plane beneath said ke vbed, with a chestattached to each row, each chest comprising controlling valves to saidstriker pneumat-ics, said valves having outer ports at the bottom faceof each said chest.

19. A musical instrument having a keybed, striker pneumatics in severalparallel rows in one horizontal plane beneath said kcybed, with a chestattached to each row, each chest comprising controlling valves to saidstriker pneumatics, said valves positioned adjacent the bottom line orface of each said chest.

20. A musical instrument having a keybed, striker pneumatics in severalhorizontal rows in one horizontal plane beneath said keybed, with achest attached to each row, each chest comprising controlling valves andactuating pneumatics thereto, said actuating pneumatics havingconnecting tubes thereto connected to the top part of each chest andcontinued over said chests and pneumatics and under said keybed andbetween said keybed and said pneumatics and chests.

21. A musical instrument having a keybed, striker pneumatics in severalparallel rows in one horizontal plane beneath said keybed, with a chestattached to each row, each said chest comprising controlling valves andactuating pneumatics thereto, said actuating pneumatics havingconnecting tubes thereto connected to the top part of each chest andcontinued over said chests and pneumatics and under said keybed andbetween said keybed and said striker pneumatics and chests, primarypneumatics and valves below said keybed and forward of all said strikersand their chests, said continued parts of said tubes connected to said.primary valves at the front of the action.

22. A musical instrument having a keybed, striker pneumatics in severalparallel rows in one horizontal plane beneath said keybed with a chestattached to each row, each said chest comprising controlling valves andactuatr pneumatics thereto, said actuating s having connecting tubes tlereto connected to the top part of each chest and continued over saidchests and pneumatics and under said keybed and between said keybed andsaid striker pneumatics and chests, primary pneumatics and valves belowsaid keybed and forward of all said strikers and their chests, saidcontinued parts of said tubes connected to said primary valves at thefront of the action, a tracker bar above said keybed, and tubes from thesaid forwardly positioned primary pneumatics to said tracker bar.

A musical instrument having a keybed and striker pnoumatics arranged onsev eral parallel chests in one horizontal plane ,cncath said keybed',an end trunk or wind box at and against one end of all said chests, andhaving wind connection thereto at said end, and a primary pneumaticchest also below said keybed and to the front of all said striker chestsand said end trunk, the end of said primary chest extended lengthwise infront of said end trunk, attached to the front of said trunk, and havingwind connection at said attached part.

24;. A musical instrument having a key bed and striker pneumaticsarranged on several parallel chests in one horizontal plane beneath saidkeybed, an end trunk or Wind box at and against one end of all saidchests, and having wind connection thereto at said end, and a pluralityof primary pneumatic chests also below said keybed and to the front ofall of said striker chests and said end trunk, the ends of said primarychests extended lengthwise in front of said end trunk, attached to thefront of said trunk, and having Wind connection at said attached part.

25. A musical instrument having a keybed and striker pneumatics arrangedon several parallel chests in one horizontal plane beneath said keybed,and a primary pneumatic chest to the front of all said striker chestsand under said keybed and in the same general horizontal plane as saidstriker-pneumatics and their chests.

26. A musical instrument having a key bed and striker pneumaticsarranged on several parallel chests in one horizontal plane beneath saidkeybed, and a plurality of primary pneumatic chests to the front of allsaid striker chests and under said keybed and in the same generalhorizontal plane as said striker-pneumatics and their chests.

27. A musical instrument having a keybed and a set of manual keysthereon; primary pneumatics below and adjacent the front edge of saidkeybed; a tracker bar immediately above said keys and keybed, intermediate the front and rear ends of said keys, and rearward of saidprimary pneumatics; and tube connections from said primary pneumatics tosaid tracker bar.

28, A musical instrument having a keybed and a set of manual keysthereon, a tracker bar immediately above said keys and intermediatetheir front and rear ends; primary pneumatics beneath said keybed andforward of said tracker bar, and tube connections from said primarypneumatics to said tracker bar.

ROBT. A. GALLY.

Witnesses S. M. VVAMAOKS, J. W. Macy.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

